Questions & Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions
What is the history of Kartell?
1 Answer

The history of Kartell starts with an Italian chemical engineer named Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. The couple founded Kartell in Milan as an industrial design firm, producing utilitarian items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape" opened at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company's roster of designers. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of Kartell furniture.
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024
Related Questions
- What is the history of Kartell furniture?1 Answer
- What is the history of Gucci?1 Answer
- What is the history of Wedgwood?1 Answer
- What are amphorae in history?1 Answer
- What is the history of Dansk?1 Answer
Shop for Kartell Furniture on 1stDibs
1970s Giotto Stoppino Stacking Tables by Kartell
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in New York, NY
Iconic set of 3 black round plastic stacking side tables .Designed in the 1970s by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell . The tops of the tables have all the same dimensions with raised roun...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Nesting Tables and Stacking...
Materials
Plastic
$1,300 / set
Pair of Postmodern Stools by Anna Casatelli Ferrieri for Kartell, Italy, 1980s
By Kartell, Anna Castelli Ferrieri
Located in Rome, IT
Pair of black and white Postmodern bar or counter stools by the Italian designer Anna Casatelli Ferrieri for Kartell, Italy, circa 1980.
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Stools
Materials
Metal
Piero Lissoni for Kartell Armchair Bed "Trix, Italy 2000s
By Kartell, Piero Lissoni
Located in Naples, IT
Trix white sofa bed by Piero Lissoni for Kartell composed of three different elements connected by an elegant elastic system that can transform and adapt to different uses through ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Lounge Chairs
Materials
Fabric, Plastic
Kartell 'Model 4788' Coat Rack by Anna Castelli Ferrieri, 1980
By Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Kartell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mid-Century Kartell 'model 4788' coat rack as designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Italy 1980s. Unique and eye-catching enameled metal wire grid with dark grey plastic base. This smar...
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coat Racks and Stands
Materials
Metal
Joe Colombo ‘KD29’ Table Lamp for Kartell, Italy, 1967
By Joe Colombo, Kartell
Located in Antwerp, Antwerp
Iconic model KD29 table lamp designed by Joe Colombo for Kartell, Italy, 1967. The lamp is made of a black ABS plastic base and support structure with a white opaline acrylic diffuse...
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Table Lamps
Materials
Plastic
KD7 Orange Pendant Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Kartell, Italy
By Kartell, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Milano, IT
The Kartell KD7 stands as a rare and contemporary classic, embodying the timeless brilliance of 1950s/1960s Italian design. Crafted by Kartell, this extraordinary pendant lamp featur...
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Materials
Metal